Kilifi County, Kenya – August 8, 2025
Principal Secretary for the National Treasury’s State Department for Economic Planning, Dr. Chris Kiptoo, has hailed the Galana Kulalu Food Security Project as a flagship model of Kenya’s Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework and a tangible demonstration of President Dr. William Ruto’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
Dr. Kiptoo, accompanied by Mr. Kefa Seda, Director General of the PPP Directorate, was hosted on Thursday by CPA Ephantus Kimotho, PS for Irrigation, during a tour of the project. The Galana Kulalu scheme, one of the largest irrigation initiatives in the country, features a 600,000m³ water reservoir capable of irrigating 10,000 acres — a critical milestone that has attracted KSh 12.5 billion in private sector investment from SELU Ltd.
The investment will fund the construction of storage facilities, expansion of irrigation infrastructure, and development of internal farm roads, boosting the smooth movement of goods and inputs within and beyond the project area.
Under the PPP arrangement, Phase One of the project will bring 20,000 acres under irrigation. With each acre projected to yield an average of 70 bags of maize annually, the scheme is expected to produce 1.4 million bags of maize worth approximately KSh 5.6 billion per year.
“Kenya cannot rely solely on public funds for large-scale infrastructure. PPPs offer a viable and sustainable financing pathway for projects of this magnitude,” Dr. Kiptoo said. He noted that the wider Galana Kulalu block holds 1.5 million acres of irrigable land, which, if fully developed, could significantly raise rural incomes, boost export earnings, and create thousands of jobs for youth in line with BETA’s inclusive economic growth agenda.
Currently, Phase 1B covering 1,700 acres is underway, bringing total seed maize cultivation to 3,200 acres in 2025. Expansion to 4,500 acres is planned for next year, with a long-term goal of 20,000 acres.
A key highlight of the visit was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Al Dahra, the National Irrigation Authority (NIA), and the Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC) to conduct feasibility studies for the development of 180,000 acres into diversified agricultural ventures, including fodder and meat value chains. This will be anchored by a proposed 306 million m³ dam designed to provide gravity-fed irrigation to 200,000 acres via 60 kilometres of canals.
Other officials present included Mr. Joel Tanui, Secretary for Land Reclamation, Climate Resilience and Irrigation; Eng. Charles Muasya, MBS, CEO of NIA; Eng. Jairus Serede (NIA); Mr. Nicholas Ambani, CEO of SELU Ltd; and other senior government representatives.
